About Henry Vandyke Carter
Henry Vandyke Carter (born 22 May 1831 – 4 May 1897) was an English anatomist, surgeon, and anatomical artist most notable for his illustrations of the book Gray's Anatomy. == Childhood == Henry Vandyke Carter was born on 22 May 1831 in Hull, England, the eldest son of the painter Henry Barlow Carter and his wife Eliza Barlow. Soon after, his parents moved to Scarborough, where he grew up. Information on Carter's private life is known in large part due to the diary that his grandmother gave him at age 14 and that he kept for life. His family was also very religious (Protestant) and Carter kept the diary as a kind of spiritual notebook. == Early studies == He studied at Hull Grammar School but later abandoned his medical studies for economic reasons to pursue pharmacy-surgery. His parents expressed discomfort with the academic and social environment he was in so he transferred to London under the guidance of surgeon John Sawyer and took medical courses at St George's Hospital in London at age 17. Carter matriculated at the University of London in 1848 passed the Intermediate Examination in Medicine of the University of London in 1851, gaining honours in Anatomy and Physiology (one subject: 7th place) and in Chemistry (5th place). After the completion of his preclinical studies he took a trip to Paris (1852-1853) to further his studies and reflect on what his specialization would be. Upon returning to London, however, he realized that in spite of his talent, all seats had already been awarded with no recommendation, and his career could not take off.
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